Having adorned comic book tiles since the early 40s, Princess Diana of Themyscira is a character that needs no introduction – Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman is, however.
Sworn in to be DC and Warner Bros.’ warrior princess more than a year ago, it’s fair to say that the former Fast and Furious stalwart has really taken to the part, displaying the necessary mix of elegance, wisdom, grace and empathy – along with love and compassion – that Diana Prince is celebrated for. That’ll all be put to the test when Patty Jenkins’ standalone movie checks into theaters in June of next year. Adding to that pressure is the fact that the DC Extended Universe, following the release of Batman V Superman and Suicide Squad, hasn’t enjoyed the level of success Warner was hoping for.
Can Wonder Woman be the one to turn the tide? It’s too soon to give a conclusive answer on that one, but at the very least, President of DC Entertainment Diane Nelson believes Gal Gadot to be nigh on perfect for the title role. Per Variety:
“It’s a testament to Zack Snyder’s casting ability. I think Gal was someone who embodied the role so beautifully, and we saw lots of evidence on how audiences responded when she came onscreen for the first time…she and Ben Affleck really stood out as two amazing parts of [Batman v Superman], and the real life Gal has many of the traits that Wonder Woman does. She is athletic and strong, and she has a great deal of integrity. She’s a mother, she’s a wife. She cares very much about this role, and so we got very lucky to have her.”
Of course, the mere thought of a Wonder Woman solo movie comes packing its own set of rather lofty expectations. But there’s a tempered excitement surrounding Patty Jenkins’ standalone effort, something that Nelson vouches for.
“Patty had a true vision that the character meant something to her. It was very clear from early on that she understood the core attributes of Wonder Woman, that she wanted to tell this story, and that she wanted to tell an arc…we’re going to see Wonder Woman and Diana Prince’s journey as she leaves Paradise Island, Themyscira, and learns all about a world that she has only heard about growing up….the feel of the movie is hopeful and aspirational, and the action is kickass.”
Wonder Woman arrives in theaters in all of her majestic glory on June 2, 2017.
